​Climate Change Adaptation in Scotland

Climate change policy in Scotland responds to both a UK and a Scottish framework. There are two key pieces of legislation: the UK Climate Change Act 2008 and the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. The UK Act requires a Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years. It is the basis for adaptation policy in both Scotland and the UK.

The Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme (SCCAP)

The Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme (SCCAP) addresses the impacts identified for Scotland in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA). It sets out the Scottish Government’s objectives in relation to adaptation to climate change.

Published in May 2014, the programme also sets out Scottish Ministers proposals and policies for meeting those objectives, and the period within which those proposals and policies will be introduced.

Public Bodies Duties

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 established the Public Bodies Climate Change Duties which came into force on 1 January 2011. It requires that Public Bodies exercise their functions:

in a way best calculated to contribute to deliver the Act’s emissions reduction targets;

in a way best calculated to deliver any statutory adaptation programme; and

in a way that it considers most sustainable.

Part of delivering the adaptation programme involves reporting on adaptation work through the Public Bodies Climate Change Reporting. This was introduced on a voluntary basis in November 2015 and became mandatory to report on an annual basis in 2016.